Electrical switch



Jan. 2, 1940. o. FROLAND ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Jan. 22, 1938 4Sheets-Sheet l 0 mm a N v 0 A E T L N N m m W v A N @P M M 0 Nu NV 0 m o0 o 0 Wm m Y x. 1 F 5 K r. C q 3 l -1 =h-FI- I ||l|| k nHIII ll: Jag Qfim 3 n" amli -Em mm t 5a S. R mm Jan. 2, 1940.

o. FROLAND ELECTRICAL SWITCH 4 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22, 1938//YV/YTOE/ OLAV Fem/arm A ricer/5r o. FROLAND 2,185,729

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Jan. 22, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 2, 1940.

0. FROLAND Jan. 2, 1940.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Jan. 22,

1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MIL/EN r012 OLA v 1-72 OLA/YD A TTOE/YEY PatentedJan. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- 2,185,729 ELECTRICAL SWITCHOlav Froland, St. Louis, Mo.,

assignor to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporationof Missouri Application January 22, 1938 Serial No. 186,322

9 Claims.

- wiping action is obtained when the contacts of the switch are movedinto and out of electrical contacting relation. This wiping actionresults in the actual'contacting faces of the contacts being wiped cleanof corrosion and accumulated foreign matter by the movement of thecontacts into and out of the contacting position, and it serves also toreadily break ice which forms on the contacts of the switch underadverse weather conditions.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved switch with the lower portionof the operating element of the switch broken away.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the portion of the switchat which the contacts are located.

Fig. 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical sectionof the portion of the switch illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical fragmentary section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 andlooking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the rear or operating portion ofthe switch.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical sectionof the portion of the switch illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary elevation taken on line 1-! of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view partly in vertical section and partly inelevation of a part of the operating mechanism of the switch.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the improved switch showing same in the openposition.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the switch showing same in the openposition illustrated in Fig. 9.

In the drawings, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration,merely, one embodiment of the invention, I designates the base of theimproved switch, said base preferably, though not necessarily being madeup of a pair of spaced channel beams I connected together at a plur i yo poi ts by suitab e me ns uc as the cross element 2 illustrated in Fig.9. The switch base I is adapted to be supported by suitable supportingmeans to locate the switch in a desired position for use.

Secured to the base I and extended upwardly 6 therefrom is a supportingmember 3 which supports a stationary insulator 4. The insulator 4 hasfixed thereto at its top a member 5 which at its forward end is providedwith a horizontal wall 5a through which suitable fastening devices 5b 10are extended for the purpose of securing the member 5 to the insulator4. The member 5 is provided with spaced apart side walls 6 which extendupwardly a slight distance from the horizontal wall 50 and continuations6 of these walls 15 extend horizontally in a rearward direction. Theextreme rearward portion of the member 5 is provided with a solid topwall I and forwardly of this solid top wall the member 5 is providedwith relatively narrow, horizontal top flanges 8 which extend inwardlytoward each other from the side walls of the member. The flanges 8extend along the top edges of the side walls of the member 5 to pointsadjacent to the forward end of the member from which points the flangesare inclined downwardly as illustrated at 8' in Fig. 6. Extendedupwardly from the flanges 8 are opposed, upwardly projected extensions9, said extensions being provided with inwardly projected flanges III asshown to the best advantage in Fig.

At the locations of the extensions 9 and the flanges Ill thereof themember 5 includes a transverse bar I I which serves a purpose to behereinafter set forth.

Supported by and fixed to and between the member 12 is a rotary spindlel3 which consti-- 4i? tutes a downward continuation of a connectingelement 14. The spindle l3 at its upper end includes complementaryrectangular shoulders l5 and the bearing member I2 is provided withsimilar shoulders l6, and interposed between the shoulders of thespindle and the shoulders of the bearing member is an annular ballbearing assembly ll. Likewise at its lower end the bearin member I2 isprovided with complementary rectangular shoulders'l 9 and a ball bearingassembly 20 is interposed between these shoulders and a raised annularface 2| on the spindle 13. The ball bearing assembly 20 is supportedfrom the bottom by a jamb nut 22 which is mounted on a screw-threadedportion 23 of the spindle and is 56 pling element 24, is an operatingelement 25, said operating element being adapted to rotate the spindlewith respect to the bearing member and the ball bearing assembliesserving to reduce friction during such rotation of the spindle. At itsupper end the spindle I3 is provided with an annual hood 26 whichoverlies and covers the upper end of the bearing member i2.

Mounted on and secured to the connecting element l4 by means offastening elements 21 is an insulator 29 which rotates with the spindleI3 and the connecting element l4. Extended upwardly from the upper endof the insulator 28 is a spindle 29 (Fig. 6) which passes through abearing member which forms a part of the solid top wall portion of themember 5 heretofore described. The bearing member 39 is provided withcomplementary rectangular shoulders 3| which support a ball bearingassembly 32, said ball bearing assembly contacting also with a raised,annular face 33 formed on the spindle 29. The ball bearing assembly 32is maintained in position by an annular flange 34' of a member 34, saidmember being mounted on and pinned to a screwthreaded portion 35 of thespindle 29 and being so shaped and arranged that it overlies and closesthe upper end of bearing member 90. The extreme upper end portion 36 ofthe spindle 29 is preferably non-circular in horizontal section and thisspindle portion has clamped or otherwise secured to it an arm 31.

Pivoted to the member 5 through the instrumentality of a pivot elementv39 is a movable switch arm which is designated generally by thereference character 39. The arm 39 includes a rear portion 39' providedwith a forward clamping portion 45 from which rearwardly extended,spaced apart portions 4| are projected. The rear end portions of thespaced apart portions 4| of the arm portion 39' incline downwardly asillustrated in Fig. 6 and these inclined portions 4| are I provided withsleeve portions 38' through which the pivot element 38 passes. At theextreme rear ends of the inclined arm portions 4| a rod 42 is pivotallyattached thereto through the instrumentality of a pivot pin 43. Theportion of the rod 42 at the end of said rod remote from the end thereofwhich is pivoted to the inclined arm portions 4| is slidingly disposedin an opening 44 formed in a member 45 which is pivoted at 46 to therear portion of the member 5. This member 45 is provided with anenlarged head portion 45 to which is fixed a tubular element 41 whichextends forwardly from said head portion in a manner to embrace thegreater part of the length of the rod 42. An annular space is providedbetween the outer face of the member 45 and the inner face of thetubular element 41 and a coil spring 48 is arranged under compression inthis space, one end of the coil spring contacting with the forward faceof the head 45' of the member 45 and the opposite end of said coilspring contacting with the rear face of an annular flange 49 formed onthe rod 42. The compressed coil spring 48 tends to move the rod 42 inthe forward direction for a purpose which will hereinafter be apparent.

In order to provide for good electrical contact between the member 5 andthe switch arm 39 a pair of resilient rods 50 are employed. Theseresilient rods are supported by the transverse bar H of the member 5(Fig. 6) and extend forwardly therefrom into contact with the sl e eportions 99' and because the forward end portions of the rods 59 tend tomove toward each other close electrical contact between said rods andthe sleeve portions 38' will be obtained.

The forward portion of the switch arm 39 includes a tube 5| whose rearend portion is engaged by the clamping portion 40 of the rear portion ofthe switch arm previously described herein, said tube being extendedforwardly from said clamping portion 49 and being internallyscrewthreaded at its forward end as shown at 5| in Fig. 3. At itsforward end the tube 5| has attached thereto an end member 52 which isprovided with a screwthreaded extension 52' which is screwed into andpinned to the screwthreaded forward portion of the tube 5|. The endmember 52 is hollow and is provided with an end wall 53 through which anopening is formed, said end member being provided also with an extension54 which projects downwardly and forwardly from said end member as shownto the best advantage in Fig. 3 and is provided with oppositely extendedflanges 54 at its forward end to provide said extension 54 with a broadforward face (Fig. 2).

Extended horizontally in opposite directions.

from the end member 52 are rigid extensions 55 each of which has formedthereon an upwardly and a downwardly extended bearing 56, each extension55 and its associated bearings 56 having a continuous opening formedtherethrough from top to bottom. Pivoted to each extension 55 is an armstructure 51 which comprises a pair of vertically spaced arms 5111 whichare rigidly connected at the approximate longitudinal center of. the armstructure by an integrally formed bar 51b. Pivotal connection betweenrear ends of the arm structures 51 and the extensions 55 is obtained bymeans of vertical pins 58 which are retained in place by cotter pins orotherwise.

The tube 5| has extended longitudinally thereof a tube 59 of smallerdiameter and secured to this tube 59 at its forward end is a head 69.When viewed in side elevation the head 60 includes a vertically disposedportion 50:: which has an opening formed longitudinally therethrough andthrough alined openings formed in opposed portions of the tube and inthe stud 60c.

Associated with the head 59 is a pair of link structures 62, each ofwhich includes a vertical portion 621: from which is extended a pair ofrigid substantially parallel arms 52b (Fig. 4). The outer ends of thearms 62b of the link structures 52 are pivotally connected to the head60 by a vertical pin 63 which passes through alined openings in theassociated pairs of arms 62b and in the vertical portion 60a of the head6ll, it being noted from an inspection of Fig. 4 that the arms of theopposed link structures are so located with respect to each other thattheir end portions may overlap so as to bring the alined openings of thearms into alinement with each other and with the opening formed throughthe portion 99a of the head. Because of this arrangement it is obviousthat the arms of the link structures 62 are pivotally attached to thehead 60- The vertical portions 62a of the link structures are in turnpivotally attached to the forward end portions of the arm structures 51,such pivotal attachment being obtained through the use of vertical pins64 which pass through alined openings formed through the forward endportions of the arms 51a of the arm structures and through openingsformed in the portions 82a of the link structures, which portions 62aare interposed between said arms 51a of the arm structures 51.

At its rear end the tube 59 has fixedly attached thereto a member 65which is bifurcated at its rear end as shown to the best advantage'inFig. 5. The bifurcated portion of the member 65 has pivoted theretothrough the instrumentality of a pivot pin 96 a link 61, the forward endportion of said link being disposed between the spaced legs of saidbifurcated portion and the pivot pin 66 being extended through alinedopenings formed in the legs of the bifurcated portion and through theforward portion of the link. The rear portion of the link 61 issimilarily connected to a member 68 which is clamped, or otherwisesecured, to a tube 69. In other words the member 98 includes abifurcated forward-portion between the spaced legs of which the rearportion of the link 61 is disposed and a pivot pin 10 is extendedthrough alined openings formed through the legs of the bifurcatedportion of the member 68 and through thevrear portion of the link.Clamped or otherwise fixed to the rear end of the tube 69 is a member'II which is provided with a bifurcated rear end portion between thespaced legs of which the forward portion of a link 12 is arranged. Theforward end portion of the link" is pivoted to the member II by a pivotpin 13 which passes through alined openings formed through the link andthrough the legs of bifurcated portion of said member H. Additionallythe link 12 is pivotally attached by means of a pivot pin 14 to theouter end of the arm 31 previously described herein (Figs. 1, 5, 6, and9).

As will presently appear herein the arm 31 is swung in an arc of acircleto move the tube 59 longitudinally of the tube and to arrest suchmovement of the arm 31 when the tube 59 reaches the limit of its forwardmovement an upstanding abutment 15 is provided. This abutment includes ahorizontal portion 15a which is rigidly secured to the member 5, whichhas been previously described herein, and a vertical portion 15b whichextends upwardly from said horizontal portion at one end thereof. Whenthe arm 31 has reached the position where the tube 59 is in itsforwardmost position the outer end of said arm contacts with thevertical portion of the abutment to prevent further movement of said'arm in the direction which moves the tube 59 forwardly. In thisconnection it is to be noted that the arm 31 and the assembly of partswhich includes the tube 69 and the members 68 and 1| associated withsaid tube 69, provide a toggle which is locked when the pivot pin 14passes'dead center defined by an imaginary line drawn from the center ofthe portion 39 of the spindle 29 to the center of the pivot pin 10.Therefore the abutment 15 is so located as to arrest movement of the arm31 when the locked condition of the toggle is attained.

In order to assist and insure the movement of the tube rearwardly whenthe arm 31 is swung from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5 tothe position in which said arm 31 is shown in Fig. 9 a bifurcated arm 15is provided (Figs.

6 and 7). This arm 18 is pivotally attached at its lower end to the rearportion of the arm 39 by a pivot element 11, and at its upper end saidarm is pivotally attached by means of the pivot pin 66 to the bifurcatedportion of the member 85 associated with the tube 59. Arranged inembracing relation with respect to the pivot element TI is a sleeve 18and arranged about said sleeve is a torsional coil spring 19, oneextended end portion of said coil spring being located in contact with alug 89 formed on a portion of the switch arm 39 and the oppositeextended end portion of said coil spring contacting with a connectingbar 16' of the arm 16. The torsional coil spring 19 tends to move theupper end of the arm 16 rearwardly and therefore when the toggle ofwhich the arm 31 forms a part is broken by movement of said arm in adirection to move the tube 59 rearwardly, the torsional coil spring willassist such movement.

In connection with the arm 16 it is to be noted that the switch arm 39is provided with opposed pairs of lugs 8l-8l and 82-82 which extendinwardly from opposed portions of the rear portion of said switch arm(Figs. 5 and 6). The lugs 8l--8i serve as abutments which limit forwardrotating movement of the upper portion of said arm 16 about its pivotTI, while the lugs 82-82 limit rearward rotating movement of the upperportion of the arm 16 about its pivot. Additionally contact of the arm16 with the lugs 82-42 serves the function of cooperatively connectingthe switch arm 39 to the arm 31 so that said switch arm may be movedfrom the lowered closed switch position in which it is shown in Fig. lto the raised open switch position in which it is shown in Fig. whensaid arm 31 is swung about to move the switch to the open switchposition. This will be explained later herein wherein the operation ofthe switch is described.

Secured to the base I of the switch is a supporting element 83 whichsupports a fixed insulator 84. The insulator hasfixed to it a member 85which includes an upwardly and forwardly extended portion 85' which isprovided with a solid top wall from which a vertical extension 86 isprojected. The vertical extension 86 has anchored therein a contact 81which is'comprised of a plurality of relatively heavy parallel wireswhich when viewed in plan are bent in approximately U-shape and areprovided with eyes formed in the rear end portions of the rearwardlyextended legs thereof (Fig. 2). The wires of which the contact 81 iscomposed are possessed of resiliency so that when the rearwardlyextended legs thereof spread apart said legs will return to theiroriginal conditions when the force which spread them is removed.

The member 85 is provided with a buffer 88 which comprises a headed pinsupported for vertical movement by a bearing element 89 forming a partof the member 85, said headed pin having a coil spring 90 associatedtherewith which urges same in an upward direction. The

coil spring 99 is interposed between the under face of the head of thebuffer and the top face of the bearing element 89, and a cotter pin 9|is employed to limit upward movement of the buffer in response toexpansive action of the coil spring. When the switch arm 39 is loweredfrom the raised position in which it is shown in Fig. 10- to the loweredposition in which it is shown in Fig. 1 the extension 54 of the endmember 52 of said switch arm strikes the head of the buffer and the coilspring of the buffer absorbs the shock incident to the sudden stoppageof the downward movement of the switch arm. Also the member 85 supportsan arcing horn 92 which functions in an obvious manner as the broad faceat the end of the extension 54 moves into and out of contact therewithwhen the switch arm 39 is moved into and out of the closed switchposition.

The improved switch is provided with a terminal 93 which is fixed to therear end portion of the member 5, and a similar terminal 94 which isfixed to the member 85. These terminals have secured to them conductorsC forming parts of the electrical line in which the switch isinterposed.

In explaining the operation of the improved switch it will be assumedthat the switch is in the open switch position, as shown in Figs. 9 and10, and that it is desired to operate the switch to cause it to assumethe closed switch position. Such operation of the switch is produced bythe person operating it rotating the operating element 25 so as toimpart like rotary movement to the assembly of parts made up of thespindles l3 and 29, the member I 4 and the insulator 28 and therebyswinging the arm 31 in an arc of a circle from the position in whichsaid arm 31 is shown in Fig. 9 toward the position of the-arm 31 as itis shown in Fig. 5. As rotary movement is imparted to the arm 31 asdescribed forward acting force is imparted to the switch arm 39 throughthe connecting assembly which includes the tube 69, suchforce beingtransmitted from the assembly mentioned, to the switch arm 39 throughthe arm 16 and pivot pin 11. It is to be noted that at the time theforward and downward movement of the switch arm is started the arm 16 ispositioned, as shown in Fig. 10, in contact with the lugs 82-82 with thepivot pin 66 located in a lower plane than the pivot pin 11, andtherefore the arm 16 constitutes a rigid connection between the switcharm 39 and the assembly of which the tube 69 forms a part through whichmovement is imparted to the switch arm until said switch arm reaches anoverbalanced position from which it will move by gravity to its loweredposition. As movement of the arm 31 continues toward the position inwhich said arm 31 is shown in Fig. the switch arm moves toward itslowered position, said movement of the switch arm being controlled bythe person operating the switch restraining rotation of the operatingelement 25, and eventually the switch arm 39 reaches its loweredposition where the extension 54 at the forward end of the switch armcontacts with and rests upon the buffer 88.

During downward movement of the switch arm toward its lowered positionthe tube 59 is drawn to its rearward position by reason of the fact thatthe arm 16 is in its rearward position and in contact with the lugs82-82. 'The result of such rearward position of the tube 59 is that thehead 50 at the forward end of said tube 59 is likewise in its rearwardposition as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Also with the head 60 drawnrearwardly the link structures 62 assume the contracted positions in wch they are shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and the arm structures 51which are pivoted at their forward ends to the link structures 62 aredrawn to the contracted and convergent positions in which these armstructures are shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

when the switch arm 39 reaches its lowered position in contact with thebuffer 88 the link I structures 82 and the arm structures 51 are in thecontracted positions described and a portion of the arcuate stroke ofthe arm 81 still remains to be traversed. During this additionalmovement of the arm 31 the tube 59 is moved forwardly with respect tothe switch arm 39, the arm 16 moving forwardly with the tube 59 awayfrom the lugs 82-82 against the force of the torsional coil spring 19.Forward movement of the tube 59 results in like forward movement of thehead 68 which moves the link structures 62 and the arm v structures 51to the expanded positions in which they are shown by full lines in Fig.2. This forces the portions 62a of the link structures, which serve ascontacts of the switch, into close electrical contact with the opposedportions of the contact 81, spreading said opposed portions of saidcontact 81 to insure the desired close electrical contact. When thecontact has been made between the portions 62a of the link structures 62and the opposed portions of the contact 81 the arm 16 is in contact withthe lugs 8l-8l as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6 and the tube 59 isheld in its forward position by the locked condition of the toggleproduced by the arm 31 and the assembly of which the tube 69 forms apart. Also the head 68, link structures 62 and the forward portions ofthe arm structures 51 provide a toggle which is locked when the portions62a of the link structures are expanded into contact with the opposedportions of the contact 81.

When the switch arm 39 is to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly from theclosed switch position to the open switch position the sequence ofoperations just described are reversed. That is to say the initialportion of the arcuate stroke of the arm 31 from the position in whichsaid arm is shown in Fig. 5 toward the position of said arm asillustrated in Fig. moves the tube 59 and the head 60 rearwardly to drawthe portions 60a of the link structures 60 inwardly away from theopposed portions contact 81 to their contracted positions as shown bydotted lines in Fig. 2. Such initial movement of the arm 31 likewisemoves the arm 16 into contact with the lugs 82-82 formed on the rearportion of the switch arm 89, and continuation of the rotary stroke ofthe arm 31 after contact of the arm 16 with the lugs 82-82 results inthe switch arm 39 being swung upwardly about the pivot 38 to its raisedopen switch position as shown in Fig. 10. In connection with the actionof raising the switch arm 39 to elevated open switch position it ispointed out that the coil spring 48 (Fig. 6) serves to counterbalancethe weight of the forward portion of the switch arm. In other words thecoil spring 48 is under compression and as the upward movement of theforward portion of the switch arm is started the coil spring 48 exerts aforwardly directed force against the lower end of the switch arm whichassists an operator to raise the switch arm. Likewise the presence ofthe coil spring 48 prevents the forward .end portion of the switch armfrom being dropped down with violence when the switch arm is lowered asthe gradually increased compression which is built up in the coil Ispring as the forward end of the switch arm is lowered serves to preventtoo rapid lowering of the switch arm. When the switch arm has beenraised to the open switch position it is in a balanced perpendicularposition and portions of said switch arm rests upon the top edges of theflanges and free from corrosion. Additionally the rotary movementmentioned serves to break ice which may form under adverse weatherconditions at the points where contact is made. In order to provide foreflicient transfer of electrical energy to the positions 62a of the linkstructures groups of resilient rods 95 are provided which are supportedby the portions 51b of the arm structures 51 and contact withconsiderable force with portions of the end member 52 and with saidportions 62a of the link structures. Also at the front ends of the lowerportions 51a of the link structures 51 downward projections 96 areprovided which have curved faces 96' formed thereon (Fig. 4). Theseprojections serve to spread the opposed portions of the contact 81 if anattempt should be made to lower the forward end of the switch arm withthe link structures 62 in their expanded condition.

In Figs. 1 and 8 an arm 91 is shown secured to and extended from therotary insulator 28. This arm together with the parts 98 associatedtherewith serve to cooperatively connect the switch to an adjacentswitch when a' plurality of the switches are arranged for gangoperation.

All of the important parts of the switch, other than the insulators l,28, and 84, are preferably formed of metal which will conduct electricalsaid arm which includes arcuate contact faces' that rotate when thetoggle means is operated andare adapted to be moved transversely withrespect to said am when the toggle means is operated into and out ofmechanical and electrical contact with said fixed contact, and meanssupported by said arm for operating said toggle means so as to move saidarcuate contact faces outwardly into contact with said fixed contact andinwardly out of contact with said fixed contact while the arcuatecontact faces are simultaneously rotated.

2. A switch comprising a fixed contact, an arm supported for swingingmovement relative to said fixed contact, and means supported by said armfor providing for electrical contact between said arm and said fixedcontact, said means comprising rotary contact elements provided witharcuate contact faces that rotate with said rotary contact elements,means for supporting said contact elements for rotary movement, togglemeans for moving said contact elements transversely of the arm outwardlyto bring the arcuate contact faces thereof into contact with said fixedcontact and inwardly to move the arcuate contact faces thereof out ofcontact with said fixed contact while said arcuate contact faces arebeing rotated, and means for actuating said toggle means.

3. A switch comprising a fixed contact, an arm supported for swingingmovement relative to said fixed contact, and means supported by said armfor providing for electrical contact between said arm and said fixedcontact, said means comprising rotary contact elements provided witharcuate contact faces that rotate with said rotary contact elements,means for supporting said contact elements for rotary movement, togglemeans for moving said contact elements transversely of the arm outwardlyto bring the arcuate contact faces thereof into contact with said fixedcontact and inwardly to move the arcuate contact faces thereof out ofcontact with said fixed contact while said arcuate contact faces arebeing rotated, and reciprocatory means for actuating said toggle means.

4. A switch comprising a fixed contact, an arm supported for swingingmovement relative to said fixed contact, and means supported by said armfor providing for electrical contact between said arm and said fixedcontact, said means comprising contact elements provided with arcuatecontact faces, pivotally supported arms for supporting said contactelements for rotary movement to rotate said arcuate contact faces andswinging movement transversely of the arm, toggle means for moving saidcontact elements outwardly to bring the arcuate contact faces thereofinto contact with said fixed contact and inwardly to move the arcuatefaces thereof out of contact with said fixed contact, while said arcuatecontact faces are being rotated, and means for actuating said togglemeans.

5. A switch comprising a fixed contact, an arm supported for swingingmovement relative to said fixed contact, and rotary means supported bysaid arm and adapted for movement transversely of said arm whichincludes arcuate contact faces adapted to be rotated when said rotarymeans is actuated to contact mechanically and electrically with saidfixed contact, and means for actuating said rotary means to move saidarcuate contact faces outwardly into contact with said fixed contact andinwardly out of contact with said fixed contact while the arcuatecontact faces are simultaneously rotated, said fixed contact beingprovided with opposed portions adapted to yield when said arcuatecontact faces are moved outwardly into contact therewith.

6. A switch comprising a fixed contact, an arm supported for swingingmovement relative to said fixed contact, and rotary means supported bysaid arm and adapted for movement transversely of said arm whichincludes arcuate contact faces adapted to be rotated when said rotarymeans is actuated to contact mechanically and electrically with saidfixed contact, and means for actuating said rotary means to move saidarcuate contact faces outwardly into contact with said fixed contact andinwardly out of contact with said fixed contact while the arcuatecontact faces adapted to be rotated when said rotary means is actuatedto contact mechanically and electrically with said fixed contact, andmeans for actuating said rotary means to move said arcuate 5 contactfaces outwardly into contact with said fixed contact and inwardly out ofcontact with said fixed contact while the arcuate contact faces aresimultaneously rotated, said fixed contact comprising a plurality ofresilient elements of substantially U-shaped formation having opposedlegs which are adapted to yield when said arcuate contact faces aremoved outwardly into contact therewith. I

8. A switch comprising a fixed contact, an arm supported for swingingmovement relative to said fixed contact, and means supported by said armfor providing for electrical contact between said arm and said fixedcontact, said means comprising rotary contact elements provided witharcuate contact faces which are rotated when said rotary contactelements are rotated, means for supporting said contact elements forrotary movement, toggle means for moving said contact elementstransversely of the arm outwardly to bring the arcuate contact facesthereof into contact with said fixed contact and inwardly to move thearcuate contact faces thereof out of contact with said fixed contactwhile simultaneously rotating said contact elements, said fixed contactbeing provided with portions adapted to yield 5 when said arcuatecontact faces are moved outwardly into contact therewith, and means foractuating said toggle means.

9. A switch comprising a fixed contact, an arm supported for swingingmovement relative to said 10 fixed contact, means including an elementsupported for pivotal movement by said arm which is provided with a.portion that moves transvcrsely of said arm, an arcuate contact faceformed on said transversely movable portion of 15 said element whichrotates when said portion of said element moves transversely of saidarm, and means supported by and movable relative to said arm whichsubjects said element to such pivotal movement that the arcuate contactface thereof 20 is moved transversely of the arm into and out ofmechanical and electrical contact with said fixed contact while saidarcuate contact face is being simultaneously rotated.

OLAV FROLAND. 25

